jonkhoff



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. A. JONKHOFP.

STRINGED INSTRUMENT.

No. 594,743. Patented Nov. 30,1897.

(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 2. J. A. JONKHOFP.

STRINGED INSTRUMENT.

Patented Nov. 30,1897.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. J. A. JONKHOFP.

STRINGED INSTRUMENT. No. 594,743. Patented Nov. 30, 1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT EErcE.

JAN ANDRIES JONKHOFF, OF DRESDEN, GERMANY.

STRENGED ENSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters latent No. 59%,7d3, dated November 30, 1897.

Application filed Jlllle 9, 1897. Serial No. 640,016. (No niodeld 10 aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that LJAN ANDRIES J ONKHOFF, instrument-maker, a subject of the Queen of the Netherlands, residing at Dresden, in the Kingdom of Saxony, German Empire, have invented certain new and useful Improve- 1n ents in or Relating to Stringed Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a plectrum or operating device for citherns, mandolins, guitars,and other stringed instru ments which are played by plucking the strings. This plectrnm device is operated by means of keys and is easier to learn and less fatiguing for the player than plucking the strings directly by fingers or by a finger-piece, as hitherto.

By depressing a key either one or several strings can be sounded. the invention is speciallysuitable for the socalled accord-cithern. Such a construction is shown, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows an accordcithern with the plectrum device in plan. Fig. 2 is a crosssection through the instrument in its inoperative position. Figs. 3 to 5 show the chief parts of the device as shown in Fig. 2, but in operative position, each figure illustrating a different position of the movable parts; Fig. 6, a plan of the .main parts of the device in the position shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 represents slight modification.

A number of the bars A are arranged across the strings of the instrument, said bars being supported on two longitudinal bars B, Fig. 2. Between A and B are placed elastic plates Z), (preferably of rubber or felt,) so that by tightening or loosening the screws to the height of the bars A on which depends the strength of sound can be properly adjusted.

On each side of the bars A are two pins 0 a, guiding slides O, provided with longitudinal recesses or slots 0 c, the length of the slots, in cooperation with the pins 0 c, determining the longitudinal movement of the slides G. On the slides are pivoted at cl cl the plectrum-fingers D D, having, preferably, the shape of bell-crank levers. According to Fig. 7, the angle is, however, nearly one hundred and eighty degrees. The free end of the lever, which in its operative position,

In the latter form Figs. 3 and t, is pointed downward, is bent at the end in such manner that an inclined surface is presented opposite the strings, said surface depressing the string like a wedge when the slide is moved forward, together with the fingers,and allows it to spring off at the lower point of this surface, whereby the string starts vibrating and so sounds the note.

The upper part of the fingers D D engages by means of pins d d. with a rod This rod is pivoted at c to a rod F, and F atf' to the key-lever G. The key-lever oscillates at g on a support A, securedon or forming part of the bar A. A spring g acts on the levers G and tends to return or to maintain the movable parts into their position of rest, Fig. 2.

Each lever G is provided with a key. Figs. 1 to 5 show, as in pianos, the lower keys G and the upper keys G. On each bar there are two slides with fingers and key-levers. The front series, having the lower keys G, is completely shown in Figs. 2 to 5. The back series of upper keys G differs from the front series only by its slide carrying only one operating-finger, the rod F engaging directly wit-l1 the latters pin (Z. It need only be added with respect to the back series that it is used for plucking or sounding the lower 00- tave of the key-note produced by the corresponding front series. In other respects the description of the front series will equally apply to the back series.

All the series of the device are mounted in the casing 1, Figs. 1 and 2, from the raised part I of which project the keys G G.

To enable the action of the instrument to be better understood, the strings of the series illustrated are shown by full black dots, Figs. 2 to 5. Fig. 2 shows the inoperative position. If the key G is pressed down, the fingers D D are at first caused to turn into their operative position, the slide O remaining at rest, Fig. 3, it being understood that the friction in the joints f e d is less than that of the slide 0 011 the bar A. TV hen the position mentioned has been reached, the fingers cannot be caused to turn any farther, for the reason that the rod E presses upon the slightly-projecting pins d d of the first two fingers, or the same result could be attained by using special stops. When the key G is depressed still farther,

the slide 0 advances, (toward the right-hand side.) During this time the fingers pass in the hereinbefore-described manner over the strings, which produces the required sound, and the parts come into the position shown as Fig. 4, the slide being then in its extreme right-hand-side position. If the key is now released, the fingers return at first into their original position under the influence of the spring g, Fig. 5, and then the slide is drawn back to its extreme left-hand position.

It remains now to describe a device by means of which the strings may be damped in such manner that the damping device, made inoperative by the depression of its corresponding key, becomes operative again when the key is released, so that the duration of a note depends on the player and all the strings which are not struck remain damped. For this purpose there is arranged on the slide 0 next to each finger D another finger I*I,which is covered at h with some damping material, such as felt, rubber,or the like. The damperis kept firmly pressed by means of the spring g against the string when the parts are inoperative, Fig. 2. "When the slide moves to the right, the damper is moved away from its string, Fig. at; but as the stroke of the slide is greater than the distance between the back of the damper H and the next (right hand) string S the damper II is pivoted to O by means of a pin 77. to enable the damper to yield when coming in contact with this string, Figs. at and 5. The damper II is prevented from oscillating in the opposite direction be yond the vertical position (whereby a firm pressing against the string to be damped would become impossible) by a stop 7t" engaging with the edge of the slide C.

I claim 1. A plectrum device for citherns and other similarly-operated stringed musical instruments comprising a series of bars arranged transversely across the strings and carrying iongitudinally-movable slides in combination with fingers D hinged on the slides and cooperating levers having resetting-springs as g in such manner that when a key is depressed first the fingers are brought into the plane of the strings and then the slide is caused to ad vance the strings being operated by the fingers and in the same manner when the key is released first the fingers are withdrawn and then the slide is returned by its spring to its original position, substantially as described.

2. In a plectrum device for citherns and other similarly-operative stringed musical instruments, the combination with a series of bars arranged transversely across the strings the longitudinally-inovable slide carried by said bars, the rod carried by said slide, the angled plectrum-fingers pivotally mounted on the slide and connected to the bar, stops for limiting the movement of the slide-bar and the key-levers operatively connected with said slide; substantially as described.

In a plectrum device for citherns, 650., the combination with the series of bars arranged transversely across the strings and carrying longitudinally-movable slides, the plectrum-fingers hinged 011 the slides and having inclined free ends, and cooperating rods, whereby when a key is depressed, the said inclined surface will depress the string as the slide is moved forward and allow it to spring off at the lower point of the inclined end on the further advance of the slide and thus cause the string to vibrate; substantially as described.

4. In a plectrum device, of the character described, the combination with the longitudinallymovable slide, the damper-fingers pivotally mounted on said slide, movable in one direction only, whereby when the slide is advanced, the damper-fingers will be withdrawn from contact with the strings and be brought in contact with the strings when the slide is returned to normal position; substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereto set my hand in the presence of the two subscribing witnesses.

JAN ANDRIES .IONKIIOFF.

Witnesses:

O'rro WOLFE, HUGO DRUNMEY. 

